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Square is joining in the fight against AIDS with a new, red version of the Square Reader. You can pick up the new device, affectionately referred to as Squa(red), right now for $10. 97.25% of the purchase price will go to the Red charity, and is enough to cover "more than 24 days of life-saving medicine for someone living with HIV." Even more interesting, when a card is swiped through the Squa(red) device, buyers will get a link on their email receipts that allows them to donate directly to the Red charity and the global fund to fight AIDS.

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When the Samsung Galaxy S III was announced, we thought the two colors that it would be available in, white and pebble blue, both looked great and should satisfy anyone. Not so, says Samsung. The company is set to drop four additional Galaxy S III colors: Sapphire Black, Amber Brown, Titanium Gray, and Garnet Red (which AT&T got a bit early.) The colors will be mixed between various carriers, so don't expect to have your pick of the litter at your local store, okay?

Apple is set to unveil its next-generation iPhone 5 in a little over three weeks, but that hasn't stopped the company from releasing a new accessory for the iPhone 4 and 4S. The new (PRODUCT) RED bumper fits and works with the iPhone 4S, as well as the iPhone 4 from two years ago. It's $29 and joins the black, white, blue, orange, green, and pink bumpers in the Apple lineup. Oddly, it doesn't ship for 6-8 weeks, when the next iPhone launches. Buyer beware--if you plan on picking up the next iPhone, just realize that this bumper won't fit that model.

This week Apple released the iPad Smart Case, a polyurethane product that covers and protects both the front and back of the the iPad shell. Compatible with both the iPad 2 and the new third-generation iPad, this is the first full case that Apple has offered for its popular tablet, and it's being sold for $49. The Smart Case seems to make a lot of sense in theory, but how does it fare in practice? Read on as we answer that question in our iPad Smart Case review.

It’s all over the internets that the acclaimed business site iCV2 has invoked the “suck” word to describe direct market comic book orders for Q3 2010.

Offering your captive audience books they don’t want and prices they can’t afford no longer seems to be a viable strategy. What lessons will anyone take away from this? Cue another Metamorpho relaunch in 3...2...1...

Let’s see what else is out on the internets...

Gardner Fox: The prolific writer is said to have written more that 4000 comic book stories. He co-created The Sandman, created the concept of Earth-2, wrote Batman, Hawkman, The Flash, Justice Society of America and many, many more. He also had a career as a writer of many so-called “sleaze” paperbacks. Paul Bishop has a nice look at a bunch of them. So many of them in fact, that you might think of the author more as “Gardner Foxy.”

I could, of course, see Jackass 3-D because you can never see enough footage of people getting kicked in the balls. And in 3-D it might feel like I'm doing the kicking.

Hereafter looks cool, and I'll get around to seeing that shortly. Conviction has that kind of mid-October Oscar bait feel to it, where everyone is suicidal or finds salvation through tragedy or suffers from a tragic disease yet still finds time to teach us about life. But I'm not falling for that this weekend.

We were hoping that the Lumix DMC-TZ7 camera Panasonic was offering was connected with the RED (Product) line since we couldn’t find another one, but it turns out that the company is offering a limited edition because their research found that hue to be a “favored” color choice. The hybrid cam, with Intelligent Auto Mode and LEICA DC Vario-Elmar Lens is also available in black, silver or brown. You can find them all at Panasonic’s e-shop for $399.95 each.

For those who bought a (RED) iPod, there will now be a new music service which will donate half of its profits to fighting AIDS in Africa. Set to launch in September, a subscription will cost $5.00 a month. Similar to a newsletter, members get an e-mail weekly that has an exclusive song from well known artists as well as one from an emerging one. The subscribers will also get a bonus “Crackerjack Surprise,” such as a video and an update about Project Red. All songs are DRM-free so even non-iPodders can take part.

Apple has lowered the price of its 1GB iPod shuffle. The musical mini-player has been reduced to $49.00 to make way for its soon to be released 2GB brother. At a size of about half a cubic inch in volume and a weight of about half an oz., the shuffle will come in silver, blue, green, purple, and a (Product) Red Special Edition, and will carry a price of $69.99. We like the idea that as more products are released, Apple has the sense to lower the old shuffle’s price, rather than charge more for the new one. Maybe they will do the same with their next iPhone.

Okay, so a few days ago we had to give props to Apple for launching the RED iPod nano, because we can appreciate a company doing what it can to make the world a better place. Continuing in that trend, the rumor mill has been churning in regards to how Apple might follow up the RED nano. Word on the street is that they may possibly release RED Macbooks and iMacs as well. Our thoughts? Go for it. Seeing people carrying around RED Macbooks would rock our world, as Apple would be giving a portion of the purchase to the Global Fund to help HIV/AIDS afflicted women and children in Africa.